Life After the Apocalypse

In which the survivors reminisce of better times

STJuly 5th, 2024. The tenth anniversary of the end of the world. Angela had gone, as was her yearly tradition, back to Woodside. She insisted on going alone — Sofia had insisted on coming along. But to everyone else, throughout the day, it was Senbast’s birthday. Maureen baked a cake, doing the best with what she had (Coyote, Jeff, and Abel were running late coming back with the chocolate, unfortunately). Brendan had managed to salvage a mancala board and a collection of colorful rocks and weathered glass pieces and taught the boy how to play. Senbast spent much of the day asking for people to play it with him. As every year, everyone who lived through the apocalypse did their best trying to set the memories aside for the boy’s sake.
Angela and Sofia returned as the sun was setting. Angela had a finely crafted sword in her possession, upon which the light caught like molten metal. She was reticent about how she came across it, and deep in thought.
Night time, was a different story. At the center of the honeycombed caverns that Sofia had carved out as homes years ago, was the firepit. It is here that the group as a whole gathers around the fire in remembrance of the world that was before. Drifting into the room are the strains of Chopin’s more serene pieces and the clacks of mancala playing between Senbast and Galen.
“… and Dennis steps out of the car, walks up as if NOTHING happened, and kisses Bastet’s hand. Then he says, smooth as silk, ‘If I had known there would be such lovely visitors, I would have brought my wine bottle and extra glasses.’ He was /fifteen/ and he says this. TO A GODDESS.” Lance chuckles and shakes his head, taking a swig of Maureen’s special vodka straight from the bottle. “That kid, I swear.”
Carmen smirks. “You’re lucky, Gorman,” she says.
“Yeah?” Lance asks, raising an eyebrow and smirking at his wife.
“I might’ve dumped your sorry ass for Dennis years ago.”
The warrior grins. “Nah, he wasn’t nearly as good-looking.”
“Looks ain’t everything.”
Lance makes a bit of a pouty face. Carmen gives him a brief kiss.
“Agh, you two make me sick,” Maureen jeers good-naturedly. “Pass the bottle, you hog.”
Lance passes the bottle to Dovile. “Okay, it’s your turn, Deadeye.”

DovileDovile takes a big swallow of the home-made vodka and swishes it around in her mouth, searching her memory for something approprate.
“I came over here once, looking for…” She shakes her right hand, her fingers almost snapping, her searching for the word gesture. After a moment she settles on “bad thing. Shadows and dead earth. I go through Chicago, and I stop at bar, get something for my dry throat. Well, who is there?” She pauses for ephasis.
“My little brother Sasha! I have not seen him in, what, ten years? Not so little anymore.” She snorts. “When he was small I used to take my cup and pour water on his head. Beacuse I was big. He don’t see me, so I walk up behind him and I take my cup and..”
Dovile smiles, her entire face cracking into a grin.
After a moment the smile vanishes again. “He was very mad. But after we were kicked out for fighting he realized who I was. Very happy. Good day. Mamma fed us dumplings.”
Dovile takes another gulp and passes the jug over.

STAida takes the vodka, taking a deep breath and eyeing it thoughtfully. It was common understanding and acceptance among the group that she didn’t drink, but she still respected the tradition.
“I’m not sure I have a good story, but I have a confession.” Aida looks at Lisa, a ’I’m sorry but I’m not sorry’ look on her face. Lisa raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t pause from stroking Ruben’s head absentmindedly, which is in her lap. It’s clear the boy’s settling down for bed. “You know how my room was across from yours in the hall? Well, there were a couple times where I had to stuff my blankets under the door and put my pillow over my head to get any sleep. You and Victor were /loud/ sometimes.”
“Oh, thank the gods,” Susan says, the relief evident in her voice. “I didn’t want to say anything.”
Lisa hides her surprised and embarrassed smile behind her hand. Lance busts up laughing. The rest of the group soon follows.
Ruben looks up to his mother curiously. “How come you get to be loud and I don’t?”

DovileDovile snorts in amusement.

STLisa buries her face in both hands.
“Mommy, that’s not fair. You tell me that I need to be quiet when everyone’s sleeping.”
She says, from between her hands, “I don’t get to be loud, Ruben. It was an accident.”
He makes a face. Looks like he wasn’t weaseling his way into that one.
Aida grins and passes the bottle Angela’s way. The sword is resting across Angela’s lap. She looks at the bottle, then back to the fire. “Pass,” she says.
“Boooo!” says Lance.

DovileDovile’s looking at Angela, her gaze resting on her as it follows the jug around the fire.
((What do I notice about Angi?)

ST(( Well, she’s been quiet this whole time. Not emotionless, but her emotions are subdued. Where people were busting up, she just smiled. She seems preoccupied. ))
“Yeah, I second that. Boooo!” Maureen pipes up.

Dovile((Alright)) Dovile lets her gaze leave Angela, walking around the fire and letting other people do the bullying.

ST“C’mon, Angie, you’ve got loads of good stories,” urges Sofia, much more gently than the others. “How about a funny one?”
Angela sighs deeply, then takes the jug with an expression of resignation. She considers it a moment longer before taking a deep swig. After that she coughs vigorously, her eyes tearing up.
“Wow, that’s… that’s strong,” she says, sniffing and shaking her head vigorously. “Okay. I think I have one.”
There’s a brief cheer from the others.

DovileDovile grunts gently and hands Angela a cigarrette from the aged tubberware container sitting a bit away from the fire.

STAngela accepts it gratefully, pokes it in her mouth, and flicks her index finger. A small fire springs from her fingertip and she lights the cigarette with it. She takes a drag from it, then blows out smoke.
“Okay, so. I don’t know if you all remember, but I was a huge dork back then.” She rubs her brow a little with her palm, trying to ease the growing embarrassment, the smoke lazily drifting up and making shapes with the movement of her hand.
“This was in the warehouse, where HQ used to be. Right after that whole fiasco in LA, mind you. Sanura was making cookies. I could smell it wherever I went. I couldn’t stand it. I just had to have one. Just one.” She takes another hit off the cigarette. “So I zip in, try to sneak by her to grab a cookie and zip out. Well, I was 18, and hormonal, and my father’s daughter, and Sanura was…” Angela shakes her head, grinning, a little embarrassed blush rising. “I ended up crashing into the counter, sending the cookies flying everywhere. Some thief, right?”

DovileAnother grunt from Dovile, but she knows the name Sanura now, so she’s watching Brendan out of the corner of her eye.

ST“So, there I am, on the ground, nursing the future bruises and my wounded ego, covered in cookies. Sanura approaches. I’m embarrassed, still hurting, caught completely off-guard, and insanely distracted by her. She’s comes closer, not even aware. I must’ve been bright red as a lobster.”
Brendan continues playing, not skipping a beat, but it’s clear he’s listening. Aida, too, for that matter, her chin up and expression thoughtful.
“So I want to tell her to back off. There were so many things I could’ve said. ’I’m okay,’ ‘I meant to do that,’ or even just ‘Stop. please.’ But my heart’s pounding, my brain’s running a million miles an hour, remembering so many irrelevant little things like that one time a guy wouldn’t stop hitting on me, and I’m panicking like crazy.” Angela grimaces a little, in good humor, covering her eyes with her hand. “So what did I end up saying? ‘I have a girlfriend.’ No, I didn’t just /say/ it. I /shouted/ it. I’m pretty sure Naomi heard it, too. Actually, I’m pretty sure the whole warehouse heard it. I mean, it stopped Sanura dead in her tracks, so I guess it worked, but gods above, I just wanted to die right then and there.”
This elicits a chuckle from the others.

Dovile“Graceful.” Dovile snorts.

STAngela nods, her expression strained as if saying, ‘Yes, I am painfully aware exactly how big a dork I was.’ “There’s my story. I hope you guys are happy.” She takes another long swig of the vodka, and winces vigorously before passing it on to the next person. And so it goes through the night, with Lance, Sofia, Maureen, and even Angela getting progressively drunker as the fire dies. Lisa’s the first to retire, putting the boys to bed, followed by Carmen, Brendan, Aida, Benjamin, and Susan.
“Awwwwl right,” Lance says after the fire has been reduced to glowing coals, rising unsteadily. “I’m ready to wrangle me a bull. Who’s with me?”

Dovile“Walk streight line, stand up, sit down.” Dovile says, her voice expressing her clear doubt of Lance’s ability to do so. She’s a bit wobbly as she stands herself, but quickly recovers her balance.
She spares a moment to cuss gently at Maureen.

STMaureen sticks her tongue out at Dovile.
Lance rolls his eyes. “I’m fiiine. Scout’s honor.” He salutes sloppily. “Where’s your sense of adventure, Deadeye?”
Sofia grins. “You’re such a lightweight, Lance. I bet you couldn’t even last a minute on a bull at this rate.”
“You’re on!” he says, pointing emphatically at Sofia to punctuate his statement.

DovileDovile’s smile cracks again at the sloppy circle Lance’s finger is making in the air.

ST“Okay, I gotta see this,” slurs Angela, perhaps the worst off of the group gathered. She rises, throws down the butt of her third cigarette, and concentrates on attempting to grind it out with her foot, missing the first couple times.
This prompts Lance to whoop and the rest to rise. Angela whirls and starts off in the utterly wrong direction.

DovileDovile will to turn to Maureen. “The are hunting. I am tipsy. Will you help with this?”

STLance goes in the opposite direction as Angela. Sofia grabs Angela’s shoulder and turns her around.
“Right,” says Angela, pointing a finger in the air as she starts off again, now in the correct direction.
Maureen rises, swaying briefly in a dance move as she does so, as if unable to contain herself. As Dovile makes her request, Maureen smirks and says, “Sure!” She wanders back to the vodka jug, testing the three other empty ones along the way, and comes back to hand it to her. There’s not much left in it. Clearly she misunderstood.

DovileAh, well, such are the burdens of not speaking english. Clearly she isn’t soing so great herself. Dovile will shake her head at Maureen and follow the others .

ST(( All right. I’m gonna say -4 dice to rolls that require coordination for the scene. ))
On the trek to the meadow, Angela hangs back beside Dovile. “Say, you track things right? People? I mean… you found us, so you must be pretty damn good.”

Dovile“Fate.”

STAngela pauses in thought a moment, her brow furrowed in extreme concentration. “Right. Well. I saw Harry earlier today. He broke free out of some trance, we talked. It looked like he didn’t even know anything had happened. Then he kinda… shut down and fled. But he’s still alive… and I think he’s… in some sort of… mind… trap… thing…” Angela frowns. “He dropped his…” she pauses, realizing it’s not on her lap anymore, or in her hands. She tenses a moment, but then relaxes when it occurs to her that it’s still beside the firepit. “… He dropped his sword.” She looks to Dovile directly. “You think your Fate-y voodoo stuff can find him using that?”

Dovile“Yah. No problem. We sleep first though, yo?”

STAngela stops in her tracks, dumbly. “Wait. Am I drunk, or was that a ‘Yeah, no problem?’”

Dovile“You drunk. It was no problem jo.”
Dovile will gently grab her arm and keep her moving, so they don’t loose sight of the group ahead.

STShe blinks a few times, but doesn’t resist the urging forward. “Ten… ten years. Ten years and now ‘Yeah, no problem.’” Angela begins to laugh.

Dovile“Well, I need item to find person… who very lost.”
“Their item.”

ST“No, you don’t under…” Angela lets her statement die as she laughs again, shaking her head. Finally she pats Dovile on the shoulder. “You’re funny. Fate’s funny. Everything’s funny.” Angela’s voice cracks a little. She swallows. “I could just cry.” She shakes her head. “Gods I am plastered. Do me a favor and don’t let me get this way again. Please.”

Dovile“I drink it for you next time. Then I be asleep, instead of thinking bad idea.” Dovile hugs her sideways, gently guiding her around a gopher hole.

ST“You’re the best, Dovile.”
The group eventually makes their way to the meadow where the wild Nemean cows are resting, giant shadows on a backdrop of dark blues and muted colors of nighttime. It’s silent but for the standard wilderness noises — crickets, frogs, owls, and so on. Sofia stands at the edge of the meadow, her arms crossed and feet spread, a smirk on her face, as Lance drunkenly attempts to sneak his way through the sleeping animals. Maureen presses both hands over her mouth to stifle her giggling in the spirit of stealth. Angela stands there, her head tilted at a dubious angle, as she tracks Lance’s silhouette.

DovileDovile, despite being more than slightly tipsy, attempts to transition into ‘ready for bad things’ mode. She looks around, identifies potental cover and serches for unexpected dangers. She also tries to anticipate the direction of the stampede when Lance’s bull wakes up screaming.

ST(( Oooh, you’re good. ))
(( Roll Perception + Awareness ))

Dovile((10D10 +7, I got 13))

ST(( Excellent! ))

Dovile(( :D ))

STBeing as it’s a meadow, there’s not much cover to be found anywhere. But the good news is the path of least resistance is northeast, which doesn’t lead near home. If there is a stampede, chances are it’ll head that way, though anyone experienced with herd animals would be able to tell you that stampedes are impossible to predict. You also notice something unusual about the resting cows, but you can’t exactly pinpoint what it is.

Dovile“Something seem bad to you?” Dovile asks Angela, slightly muzzily, trying to pind down what’s bothering her. Then she slips down into prone and whsperes to the grass in the soft, whispering tounge of the wind. “Grass, tell me your lives. Who eats you?”
((Gaia’s Touch, one legend))

ST“You’ll have to be more spfe… sps… spe-ci-fic.” Angela rubs her eyes. “Hasn’t been much good since 2014.”We grow. The cows eat us. The cows feed us. The fenrir herd the cows to the giant. The giant eats the cows. The giant feeds us.
You realize that the unusual thing about the Nemean cows is they have brands. Pretty noticeable in most cases, but less so at night, and even less so whilst drunk.
You may take one action.

Dovile((Can telepathy be everyone in line of sight? Or just one person?))

ST(( One person per Legend spent. ))

Dovile((Do I know if my danger sense is going off? Also, were there suspicious hills around?))

ST(( Your danger sense is going off, hence one action. Your Per roll wasn’t high enough for that bit of information. ))

Dovile((Okay. Out here with us is Sophia, Lance, Angela and Maureen? Everyone else is at home, right?))

ST(( Yep. ))

Dovile((Where’s Maureen?))

ST(( Right next to Sofia. ))

Dovile((Okay.))
Dovile feels danger looming around her and passes the feeling to Lance, Sophia and Maureen, as close to instantly as makes no difference.
((Telepathy to Lance, Sophia, Maureen. 3Legend)

STSofia glances at Dovile, then uncrosses her arms, shifts her feet wider, and clenches her fist. The very ground beneath her begins to gather around her until she’s covered entirely in her earth armor. Maureen frowns, unsure exactly what to look out for. Angela tenses as she notes the others preparing for something.
“What —”
“…shhiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII” With that, Lance goes flying right into Sofia. She stands her ground as he pretty much just bounces off her, collapsing to the ground. The sound of wolves baying fills the ears.
(( Join Battle. ))

Dovile((10 dice and seven autos? I got an 11.))
((Oh 12, sorry.))

ST(( Angie’s got Opening Gambit. ))

Dovile((oh, and I get to know what those wolves are saying?))

ST(( Basically “INTRUDER!” ))
Angela claps her hands, then, as she spreads them apart, a bow appears between them. She grasps the bow and draws it, which manifests an arrow, and begins looking around for a target. She curses as she realizes just how hard this is whilst drunk.
She aims at one of the shadows currently bounding up to them. (( She’s taking an Aim action. ))
(( Now we’re on Tick 13. Sofia’s turn. ))
Sofia gently pushes Maureen behind her. “Stay here,” she says, bracing herself. (( Sofia’s taking a Guard action ))
(( Tick 12, Dovile’s turn. ))

DovileDovile rises to a crouch and gets her rifle into position.
((What is there to shoot then?))

ST(( A bunch of silhouettes. Four are moving quickly towards the group. One is growing bigger in the distance. And then there are the cows, which are beginning to rouse. ))

ST(( -6 penalty on all his foes. ))
The cows are growing alarmed.
(( Angela now ))
Angela looses her bow on one of the silhouettes. (( Her attack roll is normally 21+11. However, she’s suffering a -6 penalty for being utterly wasted and just a 3 bonus for aiming. Which means her attack is now 18 + 11. Rolling now… ))
(( 21 hits ))
(( The wolf’s dodge DV is 7, which means that Angela gets 14 overflow for damage. ))
(( Also you get +1 dice just for hitting. ))
(( Her normal damage dice is 94. 9+14+1 and then 4 autos. ))
(( 19 hits. ))
(( This wolf, though… has Damage Conversion. Which means he can turn the Lethal damage into Bashing, and soak it as if it were a punch rather than an arrow aimed at his eye. ))
(( He’s got 11 Bashing soak, which means he takes 8 damage. ))
(( Oh. I forgot to account for Lance’s penalties. ))
(( So an additional 3 damage ))
(( Now it’s in its -2 health box, just shy of death. ))
(( Sofia and Dovile. You go first. ))

Dovile((Hokay, I wanna shoot the big guy in the back.))
((So I roll 13 +7 ))

ST(( Yep! ))

Dovile((Can I use instant assesment on it first?))

ST(( Yes! ))
(( Costs you 1 Legend ))
(( Reflexive ))

DovileDovile looks the tall figure up and down one last time, focuses in, and breathes out the trigger depressiong almost automatically.
((Instatn assessment, one legand and 10 sucessess))

ST(( Giant: Epic Strength is 5, Soak 0 Agg/20 Lethal/ 24 Bashing, Dodge DV is 7 ))
(( Yes. You get 3 overflow, which means +3 dice of damage. You also get +1 just for hitting. Finally, you can spend 1L on Eagle-Eyed to add your Epic Perception autos to the damage roll. ))

Dovile((Okay, I will use eagle eye and flare legend. That means I roll 4 + 5legeand and then add 7 autos?))
((16D10 + 12? Alright!))

ST(( Unfortunately, the giant has Damage Conversion, which changes that damage to 22 Bashing, which he soaks. ))
(( Oh hold up! ))
(( I keep forgetting that durn penalty ))
(( You get 6 extra dice to roll for damage ))
(( Roll it separately, for convenience’s sake ))

Dovile((three))

ST(( 25 Lethal, changed to 25 Bashing, which does 1 damage total. ))

Dovile((Well whoppie.))

ST(( Sofia’s turn! ))
Sofia, seeing Dovile attacking the growing silhouette in the distance, curls and then springs in that direction. As she comes down, she brings her marble fist to bear. (( Her horizontal jump distance is 84 yards, so she can make it in no time. Now she gets to roll attack… ))
(( Also spending 5 Legend for Disfiguring Attack, which makes her deal Agg damage ))
(( 20 hits, versus DV 1 (because of Lance’s penalty), so 19 overflow, +1 +10 normal damage and 11 autos, flaring Legend for 7 auto successes ))
(( 31 Agg, which is converted to Lethal via Divine Damage Conversion. Still, 11 Lethal damage ))
(( It’s down 12 of its 26 health boxes ))
(( Lance and Angela ))
The cows are up and beginning to mill about, growing a little frantic. As Dovile’s warning sinks into Lance’s head, he says, “Whoops. Well, guess we better kill these things faster!”
With that he clenches his fist and gives a wild grin as he rolls his head, cracking his neck a little. It’s as if he draws forth some inner reserve that sends his every last muscle into an efficient coil. (( 3L + 1W for Fury of War ))
(( Now he gets 13 dice to put in attack or damage or both ))
(( But can’t attack yet ))
Angela lets out a breath, inhales sharply, and draws her bow again. This time the missile that manifests is crackling with flame. Without taking extra time to aim, she fires the arrow right for the giant. (( 1L for Flamin’ Bullets to deal extra damage ))
(( 21 dice, -6 for being drunk as heck ))

Dovile((I think next time we have a combat, we should avoid drinking before hand.))

DovileDovile grunts in aknowlagement, dispite Sophia clearly being to far away to hear. Then she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, listing to the snapping and whining of the approching wolves. In her mind they are glowing, like embers on a dark night. The lead wolf glows brighter, stronger. Dovile plunges into it’s mind…
((10 dice plus seven autos?))

ST(( You are now in this animal’s mind. ))
(( Maureen ))
Maureen huffs. She wasn’t going to sit back and do nothing. She concentrates on a wolf, seeing the lines of its vitality, and focuses on instilling in it the same sort of intoxicating effect she infuses in the vodka she brews… (( 2L for Intoxicate, Rolling Manip 3 + Medicine 5 + 2 autos… gonna flare for more autos ))
(( 10 successes. Now the wolf rolls Stam + Fort ))
(( Only 7. It is intoxicated! ))
The fenrir wobbles, weaves, slows, and finally collapses in a drunken stupor.
(( One of the wolves is out of the fight. ))
“Hah!” Maureen pumps her fist in triumph.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum charge straight for Angela and Dovile, as those appear to be the biggest threat currently.
Tweedledee finds Angela exceedingly elusive as far as his jaws are concerned.
(( Your body’s in a trance right now and is unable ot perceive its surroundings and unable to take actions. That means you can’t dodge. ))

Dovile((Sure does!))

ST(( So it gets full overflow. ))

Dovile((I gets me the ouchies))

ST(( 6 overflow + 7 normal + 2 autos, and according to the book it deals Agg damage. So be sure you know your Agg soak. ))

Dovile((Tis five))

ST(( It deals 11 Aggravated damage. You soak 5, so you take 6. ))
(( You have 12 health boxes before you’re Incapacitated, so it takes out half your health boxes ))
(( Okay. Giant’s turn. ))
The giant, fully roused, swings its Skeggox with as much force as it can at Sofia.
(( 10 + 11 autos, and it’ll flare Legend for 6 more autos ))
Sofia quickly brings her arms up to bear in front of her, crossing them. The skeggox dings off her arms but it looks as if her parry nearly collapses under the force of the blow.
(( 20 hits, but her parry is 20, which means she wins it. ))
(( Lance and Sofia, then Angela. On the next Tick it’ll be papa fenrir’s turn, which means you’ll get to act for him. ))
Sofia darts behind the giant, wraps her arms up around his shoulders, and then presses her hands into his neck, attempting to get him in a full nelson hold.
(( 25 hits, full overflow. She’s gonna deal him some damage. ))
(( 25 overflow + 7 normal + 11 autos, flaring again for autos ))
(( 38 Lethal damage. Damage Conversion makes it Bashing, but she still deals 14 ))
(( It’s almost there! Now for Lance’s finishing blow ))
(( He’s gonna Disfiguring Attack this fellow ))
(( 5 Legend ))
(( No dice for Attack because it’s at 0 DV ))
(( 16 hits, full overflow ))
(( Using his Fury of War dice on damage. ))
(( 16 overflow + 13 Fury of War + 8 normal + 7 autos ))
(( 29 Agg damage ))
(( Divine Damage Conversion, it’s Lethal now, the thing soaks 20 Lethal, but he’s still dead ))
As Sofia flexes, applying pressure on the giant’s neck and causing it to elicit a sickening crack, Lance comes in low, roaring, and slams his fist into the giant’s stomach. It punches right through, splattering Sofia with its blood. She releases it and examines the blood spray on her person. “Good thing my armor’s on. I only have, like, two sets of clothes.”
(( Angela ))
Angela sees the wolf going after Dovile, who appears completely inert, and clamps its jaws around her, its teeth sinking in. Not freakin’ okay. Without a second thought, she instinctively takes another sharp inhale and draws the bow with another arrow, this time crackling not only with actual fire but the metaphorical flames of Vengeance. She looses it at the doomed wolf. (( 21 normal – 6 drunk + 5 Vengeance + 11 autos ))
(( 23 hits, 22 overflow ))
(( 22 overflow + 9 normal + 5 more Vengeance + 5 fire + 4 autos + 6 more autos for flare ))
(( 36 damage ))
(( Damage conversion turns it from Lethal to Bashing ))
(( Wolf soak 11, is dealt 25 ))
Tweedledum collapses, fletching where one of its eye should be, and the rest of the arrow poking out of the back of its head.
(( Papa wolf! ))

DovileDovile watches the rapid destruction of his pack, senses the uneasenss of the cows, and watches the Dangerous Food Source fall to the ground. One of his daughters is still alive, but on the ground, not moving. He turns rapidly, heading away from the intruders and toward the cows. He yips to his mate, telling her they’re leaving, and bringing back the herd of cows for their pups.

ST(( Charisma + Command ))
(( +3 dice since you’re the alpha ))

Dovile((That four +3 and I’ll flare for more autos, since I have none))

ST(( ALso you forgot your autos ))

Dovile((Sweet! seven then!))

ST(( Ferir have the Virtue Rapacity at 3 dots. So you beat the Rapacious impulse. ))
The mate hesitates in attacking the One Which Smells Of Smoke And Fire. But, despite her desire to drag this adversary kicking and screaming back to the den… fleeing wasn’t such a bad idea. They were outnumbered, and there is easier prey. She follows her mate’s lead.
(( Okay, to herd the cows… ))

Dovile((Yus. Away from the smelly ones))

ST(( Intelligence + Animal Ken ))

Dovile((Oh, wait, I wann flare legend for autos.))

ST(( 13 + 5 is 18 ))
Working seamlessly together, the wolves are able to round up the cows and lead them away before their stampede begins.

DovileDovile grunts and shakes her head as she slowly filters her conciousness back into her own body, once the wolves are firmly set in their course.
She winces slightly as the pain of her mauling sets in.

STAngela tosses the bow up, which disappears in a line of light, and zips to Dovile in a still-drunken weaving path. After squinting to try and get a proper assessment of Dovile’s health, she turns behind her.
“Maureen! Status!”
Maureen comes jogging up, scrutinizing Dovile with a practiced eye. “We should get you to Susan, Dovile.”

Dovile((Eerm, should I use Regeneration to heal aggrivated damage? I would need to use 6 legend to get all of it if I did, right?))

ST(( Yep. ))

Dovile“Yes, that is probably good.” Dovile rolled over slowly and sat up, hand to her stomach. “I can get some though.” The earth is cool under her, damp with the morning, and perhaps with her blood. She summoned its strength to her, and her body began to knit itself back together.
(Regereration, six legend for six agrrivated damgae))

STMaureen begins to set herself up to support Dovile’s progress back home… and then her nasty wounds close before her very eyes. “Or… you can do that.”
Angela was about to get ready to carry her back as well. She sighs. “That’s just not fair.” With a shake of her head, she says, “You’re gonna have to teach me to do that sometime.”
Meanwhile, Sofia and Lance aren’t far behind, unadorned with magical armoring and such, though Lance’s fist and arm is still coated with blood.
“You could always go naked,” Lance suggests.
“Nope, ain’t happening,” Sofia says.
“I’m just saying. Easier to wash blood off that way.”
“A for effort, Lance.”
It’s about this point that they return home.

The Morning After…

DovileDovile had been in the ‘kitchen’ most of the morning, seated on one of the thread-bare coushins that served as chairs. Not that they didn’t have chairs in the kitchen! They had three. One threadbare arm chair, tucked back near the wall of the round room, usually occupied by a small child with a smug smile. One white plastic chair with the arm broken off, and one wooden chair with dragons carved all up the sides and a new leg, uncarved and tottaly the wrong color. The sun has been up for two hours, and the warm light, and cool breeze, is filtering in through the currently open ‘skylight’ (read, hole in the roof).

STMaureen is up and humming some tune or other, making campfire bread, eggs, and meat. The smell suffuses the air and the resulting food is looking sufficiently greasy.
Carmen enters the room, her steps still graceful and not the least bit waddle-y, despite the fact that she’s seven months pregnant. “Mmm. That smells good.” She peeks over Maureen’s shoulder. “Hangover food, huh?”
Senbast wanders into the kitchen silently and sits on a nearby cushion, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, waiting patiently for the cooking to finish.
“Oh yeah,” says Maureen. “You saw how wasted Angela got. Lance was pretty drunk too.”
“I guess I should put off the jackhammering until tomorrow,” Carmen says with a chuckle.

DovileDovile grunts in humor at the remark and watches the food. The wolf is from Angela’s spectacular kill from the night before. They’d dragged it in, but left the drunk wolf and the giant’s corpse in place.
“Is Angela noise-ing?” Dovile askes Carmen, since her room is just down the circle from Angela’s. Dovile realized a moment later how blurred the sentence had been and tried again. “Has Angela made a noise yet?”

ST“Sorry, I don’t know. Hard to tell over Lance’s snoring,” Carmen says, rolling her eyes.
“I doubt we’ll be seeing her at all today,” Maureen states, flipping the meat over in the skillet. Senbast’s eyes follow it briefly before he leans forward, planting his elbows on the table and crossing his arms idly.

DovileDovile grunts again. Then she waits, content to watch Maureen cooking on the iron grill laid over the fire pit.

STRuben wanders into the kitchen, sporting bedhead and rubbing his eyes blearily. He plops in a cushion near the food. Dovile would find he’s generally quietest first thing in the morning. Of course, following not long after is Lisa, who greets everyone with a “Good morning,” and Galen. Lisa has a cup of coffee in her hands. Galen approaches Senbast.
“Wanna play mancala again after breakfast? That was fun.”
“Sure.”
Aida walks in, covered in a sheen of sweat from her pre-breakfast workout. “Ah, Maureen, I could smell that from a mile off. What’s cooking?”
“After breakfast is math lessons, Galen,” says Lisa. “Maybe during recess.”
“Awww.”
“I hate math,” grumbles Ruben.
“Wolf meat,” says Maureen. “It’ll probably end up being a little tough, but I soaked it overnight so it’ll be edible at least.”
Piano melodies drift through the halls from a distance.

DovileDovile will relax into the coomfortable familiarity of her faimilies morning routeen. She’ll keep a small part of her awareness on everyone’s location, and the air flow from all four exits from the round room.
The house is currently a centeral circle, linked to an outer cirlce by four hallways. Sofia changes it around quite a bit, and a new addition is the panio room, large and shaped to send the sound through out the halls. The adobe material mellows and rounds out all the sounds in the house, keeping the noise from being overwhelming. But it also meant that if anyone screamed, everyone came running.

STCarmen, always interested in conversation, tilts her head as she looks to the quiet one of the group. “So, Dovile, That must’ve been some after-party,” she prompts. Though, considering how she’d retired long before the stupid drunken decisions were made, it’s unclear how she knows.
“Oh boy,” mumbles Maureen, beginning to dole out some breakfast to those already seated.

DovileDovile grunts, and then nods, looking up at Carmen. “Was. We all got,..uh.. tipsy. Then we go cow hunting. giant did not like this.”
The effort of keeping her face tottaly streight cracks her. Dovile smiles at Carmen, face ligthing up for a moment before it returns to its normal self. “Was delt with. I will go drag him in today.”

STAida raises an eyebrow at Dovile, but, after the momentary pause, continues eating her breakfast.
“Well, that explains the blood that Lance got all over the sheets.” Carmen sighs and shakes her head. “Oh well. I’ll make him clean them after he wakes up.”
“Lance killed a giant?” asks Ruben, perking up a little. “How come I wasn’t invited?”
“Because it was bed time,” Lisa explains patiently.
“But I wasn’t even tired!”
Lisa smiles a little. “So then that was something else you were doing, not yawning?”
“I yawn when I’m bored too.”
“I noticed.”

DovileDovile will nod to Aida, her way of saying “Yeah?”

ST“So… I wouldn’t have been bored if I got to go see Lance kill a giant!”
“You guys go off and do the weirdest stuff, is all,” Aida says with a chuckle.
“You were the first one asleep, Ruben,” Lisa points out.
“Nuh-uh!”
“Yeaaah,” Galen pipes in. “Mommy was telling us about the Trojan War, and you fell asleep. I even poked you and you didn’t wake up.”
This shuts Ruben up. He begins to sullenly eat his meal.
Sofia enters the room, a bit of concern written on her face. “Um… you guys might want to quiet down a little. I managed to talk Angie into coming to eat breakfast.”
“That means you, Dovile,” Carmen teases, winking.

DovileDovile will put on a mock sad face, corners of her lips turned comically far down.
“Always complaing about how much I talk! Give me rest!”

ST“Only thing she ever says is ‘shut up,’” grumbles Ruben.
Angela shuffles into the room, her newsboy cap pulled low over her eyes. What can be seen of her face is extremely pale. She passes the doorway, then shakes her head, says, “Nope,” and turns around, leaving. “Not eating. Ever again. I’m done.”
Sofia goes after her. “C’mon, at least some toast or something.”
Angela urps.
“Hair of the dog?” suggests Maureen, a mischievous smirk on her face.
“Ignoring you,” Angela says, from down the hall.

DovileDovile’s face drifts back towards normall. She glances at Ruben. “Shut up.” The smile is still flickering around the corner of her lips.
Then Dovile gets up and strides after Angela. Once she’s caught up to her, both their faces shadowed, since there are no windows in the hallways, Dovile speaks to her softly.
“Angela, you eat. You feel little better, tell me things.”

STRuben motions to her, as if saying ‘See?’ Lisa passes a hand across her mouth to hide her brief smile. Senbast doesn’t offer even that courtesy.
Angela groans. “Ugh… do I have to?”
“Yes,” Sofia says.
“No I don’t,” Angela decides, turning back away from the kitchen.
Sofia looks at Dovile. “You get her arms, I get her legs?”
Angela sighs. “Can I have a smoke first? In somewhere not the kitchen?”

DovileDovile grunts in laughter. “I will bring you food.” She gestured her freind toward the other side of the outer circle, where the adobe let out into a small, pleasent poarch, with a roof and an old bench and quite a few rather substantial bushes, serving to block the light of a smoke from the view of enemies on a clear night.
Then Dovile turned to Sofia. “She will be grump all breakfast anyway.”

STSofia rubs the back of her neck, considering. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She brightens somewhat and smirks a little. “I suppose I’ll consider myself relieved of duty. Now to get myself some of that pan-fried wolf. It smells really good.” She turns and leaves Dovile with the grump.
Angela, meanwhile, concentrates on the process of rolling a cigarette, trying to quell the nausea.

DovileDovile returns to the kitchen and aquires two plates of food and a lot of water, with a smile, from Maureen. Then she walks through the adobe halls, carefully balancing her load.
((Hey, where’s Benji?))

ST(( Dovile would pass him in the washroom, washing his hands of dirt. He spends his mornings gardening. Doesn’t eat much in the kitchen. ))

DovileDovile nods to Benjimin as she passes him at the foutain.

STHe nods back as he dries his hands.

DovileDovile steps out onto the porch, the tin roof and plant laden trellises walls keeping the sun to a minum. She sets down the food and water and steps out onto the grass. It’s a short walk to the fire pit of last night to retrieve the Tupperware of cigarettes. The grass crunches gently under her feet. When she gets back she drops the container by the bench and pulls herslef out one, sitting on the wooden floor, across from Angela.
The morning glories, purple and red, sway gently in the morning breeze.

STAngela’s cigarette is already lit, drifing smoke upwards, disappearing before reaching the tin roof. It’s more poorly handrolled than usual — understandable. As Dovile picks out a cigarette for herself, Angela wordlessly lights it for her. After that, she takes a deep drag and blows it out. Some tension leaves her on her exhale. For a while, she seems quite content to remain silent, letting her skull throb.
“Okay, so what things am I telling you?” she asks.

Dovile“Drink.” Dovile hands her a thick plastic waterbottle, the white lettering long worn off. “Salt water. A bit.” She says, to forstal the suspicious look.

STInstead of a suspicious look, a dubious look is sent Dovile’s way. But Angela doesn’t feel like arguing. She takes a swig, then grimaces.

DovileDovile gives her a half smile. “My papa used to drink more vodak. Salt water is better.”

ST“I thought I should be trying to, you know, not dehydrate myself after all that…” Angela waves her hand, sending the cigarette smoke into erratic patterns, “alcohol and puking and… just… awful. But I think it’s pretty clear I’m not exactly the best in the health and well-being department.”

Dovile“You did not get stabbed. You are improving.” Dovile said dryily, taking a deep drag on her ciggarette. “Tell me about your brother.”

STAngela leans against the back of the bench, taking a deep breath. “My brother. Harry. Better than me at pretty much everything. I guess Zeus liked him. Had a sword commissioned for him. Helped save this group after I failed to. Well. Before the apocalypse, that is.” She pauses, thoughtfully. “What exactly do you want to know?” With that, a hit off the cig.

DovileDovile leans forward on her knees and thinks about that, enjoying the taste of tabbacco and the morning breeze coming off the mountains. “The sword. Did he have her for a long time?” Dovile will lean over and nudge the bottle again, urging Angela to have another drink.

STAngela eyes it, reluctance written on her face, but doesn’t really resist and takes another swig of the salty water. “He got it after he was given ambrosia. I guess that was… back in 2013. October… 9th.” She considers for a moment. “It must’ve been with him this whole time. He had it with him… and for a moment he looked like he was going to run me through.” She makes a somewhat bitter amused sound that doesn’t quite have enough effort behind it to be a laugh. “One of the rare times I managed to not get myself nearly dead.”

Dovile“That is good, maybe. Make the job easier. I will take the sword and…” Dovile softly snaps the fingers on her right hand, more like rubbing them together, looking for the word. After a moment she shakes her head. “Volos will guide me, from the sword. He give me…” She paused again, then corrected herslef. “Gave me the scope of my rifle. To help me find. I will smell your brother out. The sooner we start, the easer he will be to find. You should eat.”

STAngela straightens a little at this. “I should… plan. I doubt he’ll just be hanging out unguarded. I need to gather a team.” The muscles in her jaw flex as she clenches it. “There’s no way I’m failing this one. Not this time.” With that, she puts out her cigarette and pulls the plate towards her.

DovileDovile nodded grimly and turned her attention to her ciggarette, and the play of light on the flowers.

STShe begins eating, making a thoughtful noise as she does. After a moment, she swallows her mouthful of food. “Kind of hard to come up with a team without knowing what to expect.” She pauses. “You, obviously. Even if you weren’t the one tracking him, a good scout is invaluable. Sofia, probably. I’d be stupid not to take her along.” Angela eats a little more. “If there’s a place that needs infiltrating, Brendan would be invaluable.” This is spoken out of the corner of her mouth, to prevent being completely impolite. “Hmm. I’d feel better with five of us. Lance, maybe?”

Dovile“If he’s sober.” Dovile grunts with humor and takes another breath from her ciggarete. “No one else.”

STAngela nods. “Too many of us and we start to draw attention. And we’ll have at least one more with us on the way back…” She pauses. “I’ll be honest, I’m really hoping we’ll find the others as well. Or maybe their whereabouts, if not.” Another moment of consideration. “Wherever Harry’s being held… there’s bound to be information. Information on the Order.” She falls silent as the implications of this grow loud in her thoughts.

DovileDovile takes another drag, watching Angela. Sun light glimmers through the plant walls, speckings of bright in the shadow.

STShe stares at the ground a little, her thoughts already light years ahead. “No. I can’t fail. If I do…” Another jaw flexing moment. “I’ll just have to succeed.” She rises, leaving most of her food uneaten. “We shouldn’t waste much more time. I’ll go see if Lance is awake.”

Dovile“Angela. Eat first!”

Later that evening…

DovileDovile waited until dark. Then she stepped out, her feet bare on the moist earth. The moon shown down, half full, small and white. It was empty now, the kindness of gentle Chors replaced by the dim reflected light of just another star. Still, there was some comfort in it, brought up from old memories. Dovile walked for a while, her rifle slung over her shoulder, beating gently on her thigh.
She hit some invisible point, far enough away to be alone, to be with the silence and the night and the earth. She sat, crossed her legs and lay the Greek’s sword across her lap. A wolf cries in the distance. Telling it’s mother that it is on its way home. The howl echoes off the stars.
Dovile took a deep breath and let it out, letting the stillness of the night into her mind. Then she begins to dig, the soft earth coming away easily, leaving her hands traced with mud. It is not long before she has a hole large enough for her offering: a thick strip of nemian beef, and a handful of grain. She buries them, whispering into the hole as it closes. “Eat well, uncle.” The sound does not escape the earth.
Dovile lays the sword across the freshly disturbed earth and detaches the scope from her rifle. She holds it for a moment, then kisses it and lays it on the sword. For a moment nothing changes, and then the smell is all around her, like burning rubber, lighting and olives.
And she knows it. She can smell the trail, drifting away, back toward the coast. Dovile bows her head for a moment, then rises.